Boot or shoe



Patented June 3, 1941 7 oor on snoa Joseph M. Lnrle, Lewiston, Maine, assignor to 1 W. B. Libbey Company, Lewiston, Maine, a cornotation of Maine No Drawing.

This invention relates to a boot or shoe. ,The invention has for an object to provide a novel lining for a boot or-shoe which possesses a degree of resiliency suillcient to impart a desirable softness or glove-like feel to the upper of a boot or shoe'and the construction of which is such as to prevent the tendency of the lining to sag or separate from the shoe upper in those instances where the lining is not cemented or attached to the upper.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the lining for a boot or shoe vand in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the this specification.

In general, the invention contemplates a rubberized fabric lining for a boot or shoe and preferably a rubberized fabric of the type forming the subject matter of the United States patent to Libbey, No. 1,922,444, dated August 15, 1933.

Difliculty has heretofore been experienced in some instances in the manufacture of boots and shoes by the production of so-called sag ing lin ings when rubberized fabric shoe linings are used. Experience has shown that the inherent spring-back or resiliency of such prior rubberized lining fabrics causes the lining to spring back away from the upper and to become separated from the natural shape assumed by the upper when the shoe is removed fromthe last, and in such instances the linings have been referred to as sagging linings. It is possible to avoid the production of sag ing linings by permitting the shoe to remain upon the last for a suflicient amount of time, but present day commercial practice and rush of productionvdo not afford a sufllcient length of time to entirely eliminate this objectionable sagging. It has been proposed to undercure arubber coating of certain of these rubberized lining fabrics now on the market in order to eliminate this difficulty, but such procedure detracts from the resiliency and cushioning effect of the rubberized fabric and its effective supportof the shoe upper, particularly when the lining is rubberized in accordance with the Libbey patent above referred to.

In accordance with the present invention, an

improved fabric lining may be produced by rubberizing the fabric preferably in accordance with the process set forth in the Libbey patent above referred to, and utilizing a heavily loaded vulcanized rubber stock. When such a fabric lining is embodied in a shoe and the latter lasted, the

claims at the end of Application-September 3, 1938, Serial No. 228,453

3 Claims. (01. 91-68) heavily loaded vulcanized rubber relatively permanent set at the end of the lasting operation, so that even in those instances where the shoe is permitted to remain on the last for a minimum length of time, no tendency exists for the lining to spring back away from the upper, and consequently sagging of the lining from 1 this cause is prevented.

I have also discovered that it is possible to produce a very satisfactory boot or shoe lining utilizing a fabric napped on one side, the nap of which may vary in depth within wide limits and rubberizing such fabric with a heavily loaded vulcanized rubber stock. Heretofore, it has been considered desirable and necessary to starch the hard backing of the lining, and I have discovered that the characteristics of the heavily loaded vulcanized rubber stock eliminates the necessity for such starching, thus saving a substantial amount in the production of the lining and eliminating the tendency to rot the fabric present in ordinary starched linings. When a starched lining becomes heated and moistened,

when the shoe is worn, the starch becomes sticky and gummy and the present lining material eliminates this undesirable characteristic.

Inproducing the present rubberized fabric lining, I prefer to utilize a fabric such as a drill or twill napped onone side, the depth and character of the nap of which may vary over a wide range,

and this fabric is then rubberized with a heavily loaded vulcanized rubber stock following the procedure disclosed in the Libbey patent, above referred to. By a heavily loaded vulcanized rub-- ber stock, I refer to avulcanized rubber stock. known in the art as "heavily loaded stock" and which comprises avulcanized rubber stock having ,eight parts whiting that is to say, approximately .7 to 2.8 parts by volume of filler to 1 part by volume of rubber, since rubber has a specific gravity of .92 and whiting has a specific gravity of 2.67, where the value of specific gravity is the actual rather than the apparent value and the volume is that calculated from the weight and actual specific gravity. By using such a heavily stock may vary within wide limits depending. to

stock takes a I some extent, upon the character of the fabric-be ing rubberized E have found that the foregoing limits of filler equivalent in loading value oil from two to eight parts by weight or whiting to one part by weight of vulcanized rubber stock represents the limits of practical commercial variation with those fabrics with which I have exaaeaeea tion has been herein illustrated and described,

perimented. In addition, I have found that a I gravity and character of the particle surface, all

this being well-known to rubber technologists. For instance, if barytes is used in place of whiting about twice as much would be necessary to obtain same degree of loading as in case of whiting.

While the preferred embodiment of the invenit will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having-thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A lining material for a boot or shoe comprising a fabric napped on one side, said nap being rubberized with a heavily loaded vulcanized rubber stock containing an inorganic filler in an' amount of from .7 to 2.8 parts by volume to 1 part by volume of rubber.

2. A lining material for a boot or shoe comprising an unstarched fabric napped on one side, the fabric being rubberized with a heavily loaded vulcanized rubber stock containing from 2 to 8 parts by weight of whiting to one part by weight of rubber.

3. A lining material for a boot or shoe comprising an unstarched fabric napped on one side,

the fabric being rubberized with a heavily loaded vulcanized rubber stock containing substantially four parts by weight of whiting to one part by;-

weight of rubber.

JOSEPH M. LURIE. 

